Manufacture of reinforced insoles



Feb. 29, 1944. cjw. BAKER MANUFACTURE OF REINFORCED 'INSOLES Original Filed July 24, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 29, 1944. c. w. BAKER MANUFACTURE OF REINFO RCED INSOLES 1 Original Filed July 24, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 29, 1944 MANUFACTURE OF REINFORCED INSOLES Corwin W. Baker, Stoneham, Mass, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. 3., a corporation of New Jersey Original application July 24, 1942, Serial No. 452,214. Divided and this application March 26, 1943, Serial No. 480,637

14 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in methods of manufacturing reinforced insoles of the type employed in welt shoes and to improvements in machines for use in making such insoles. This application is a division of my pending application, Serial No. 452,214, filed July 24, 1942.

The invention is herein illustrated in its application to the manufacture of reinforced insoles of the type known commercially as Economy insoles, such an insole being formed with a marginal sewing rib and having secured to it a layer of reinforcing fabric, such as canvas or duck, which covers the surface at the ribbed side of the insole, inwardly of the rib, and overlies the inner side of the rib itself and which is formed or set into. the angle between the rib and the sole at the inner side of the rib. In accordance with the customary procedure in reinforcing such insoles the reinforcing fabric is roughly applied to the ribbed face of the insole so that it will adhere to a portion of that face at the inner side of the rib, and will bridge the angle between the inner side of the rib and the insole and extend outwardly beyond the upper edge of the rib. Thereafter the fabric is worked into the apex of the angle at the base of the inner side of the rib by a so-called forming-in operation which progresses lengthwise of the rib.

The present invention is particularly concerned with the reinforcing, in the above-de scribed manner, of a ribbed insole which has been bent or curved so that it has a substantial amount of longitudinal convexity at its ribbed side. In performing the operation of forming in the fabric on such a curved insole by usual means, the fabric is caused to bind or cramp against the upper edge of therib as it is being drawn inwardly across that edge by the operation of the forming-in tool and this cramping action tends to prevent the fabric from being properly formed in to the apex of, the angle between the rib and the body of the insole. For the purpose of overcoming this difficulty provi-v sion is made, in accordance with one feature of.

the present invention, for feeding the outwardly extending marginal portion of the reinforcing fabric inwardly toward the rib in thelocality near where the forming-in tool is operating and thus counteracting the effect of the binding or cramping action above referred to. As herein illustrated, the inward feeding of the reinforcing fabric is effected while that portion of the fabric which extends outwardly beyond the rib in the vicinity of the field of pe a i n of the formingdn, tool is supported substantially in the plane of the inner face of the rib so that the feeding in of the fabric will be unopposed by any binding of the fabric over the edge of the rib.

In commercial practice the reinforcing of Economy insoles is accomplished by the use of a machine of the type disclosed, for example, in United States Letters Patent No. 1,726,800, granted September 3, 1929, upon application of F. E. Bertrand, such a machine operating to form or set the reinforcing fabric in the angle between the rib and the sole at the inner side of the rib. In one of its aspects the present invention provides means, in a machine of the type just referred to, for feeding the marginal portion of the reinforcing fabric inwardly toward the insole rib in the locality adjacent to the field of operations of the forming-in tool.

Invention is also to be recognized as residing in other improvements in insole reinforcing machines and methods of making reinforced insoles hereinafter described and claimed. v

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a marginally ribbed insole to which a layer of reinforcing fabric is to be applied;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the insole taken alongthe line 11-11 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but illustrating the step of applying cement to a portion of the insole;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the insole illustratingv a step in the application of the reinforcing fabric thereof;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken alongthe line VV of Fig. 4; y

v Fig. 6 is an end elevational View of the, operative instrumentalities of a machine for forming the reinforcing fabric into the angle between the rib and the insole, showing the instrumentalitiesin operation upon a partially reinforced insole;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line VII-Vl1 of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 8 is a front elevational view of the operative instrumentalities shown in Figs. 6 and 7, showing in. cross-section the partially reinforced insole which is being operated upon.

As shownin Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the insole it to which the reinforcing fabric is to be applied has a marginal rib 28 formed by turn ing up and setting in upstanding positions the lips and 2d of outer and inner channels l8 and 2e, respectively, out inthe margin of the insole.

Prior to the cutting of the channels an which lies inwardly of the inner channel 20 is to serve to secure the reinforcing fabric to the insole. While it is not necessary to have the reinforcing fabric secured to the inner side of the rib 28, it is important that the fabric be formed a into the apex of the angle at the base of the rib and that it be secured by cement to the surface formed on the insole body by the cutting of the inner channel. Accordingly, this portion of the insole surface is now coated with cement, as indicated at 50 in Fig. 3, the cement being applied, for example, by means of a brush 52, care being taken, however, to insure that no cement will be applied to the inner side of the rib 28 since the presence of any cement on this portion of the rib would tend to interfere with the forming of the canvas into the angle between the rib and the insole.

As clearly shown in Fig. l, the insole is bent or curved so that it is convex both longitudinally and transversely at its ribbed side. The insole is thus shaped so that its forepart will conform approximately to the bottom curvature of the last to which it is to be applied. These curvatures are imparted to the insole in the operation of turning up the channel lips to form the rib and, as explained in the pending application above referred to, the longitudinal bending or curving of the insole and the turning up of the channel lips after the insole has been thus curved results in stretching the lips lengthwise and thus conditioning them so that the rib formed by the lips will offer little, if any, substantial resistance to such subsequent bending of the insole as will take place after the insole has been incorporated in the shoe and thus the shoe will be more flexible than one having an insole the rib of which is formed by turning up the lips while the insole is in a flat condition.

To insure that the cementing of the reinforcing fabric to the insole will not tend to flatten the sole, the insole is supported, while the fabric is being applied to it, on a form 54 (Figs. 4 and 5) the upper surface of which is curved both lengthwise and crosswise to correspond to the lengthwise and crosswise curvatures which have previously been imparted to the insole. While the insole is thus supported upon the form 54 a strip of reinforcing fabric of canvas 56 is laid over the insole. as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the strip 56 being wide enough to extend a substantial distance beyond the rib 28 at both lateral margins of the insole. The reinforcing fabric, after having been laid or positioned upon the insole, will rest upon the upper edge of the rib and will bridge the angle between the rib and the central part of the insole, as shown clearly in Fig. 5. Light pressure is applied to the fabric along the longitudinal median area of the insole, thus insuring that the fabric will adhere to the insole in this area which is indicated at 58 in Fig. 4.

The insole is ow ready for the performance thereon of opera-rims con/isting of forming in the fabric into the at the base of the rib and rtrimming off the surplus marginal portion of the fabric so as to leave its edge flush with 34!] has at its free end a peripheral flange 342 for forming the fabric 56 into the angle at the base of the insole rib. As shown in Fig. '7, the roll 34!! is disposed with it axis parallel to that of the lower feed roll 360. The parts above referred to are similar in construction and mode of operation to corresponding parts described in said patent and similar mechanism is employed for rotating rolls 340 and 360 in the directions indicated by the arrows in Fig. 8.

For cooperating with the roll 34!) to engage 0pposite sides of the marginal portion of the fabric 56 which extend outwardly beyond the rib, a worm wheel 60, which is slightly larger in diameter than the feed roll 360, is fixed to the shaft which carries the roll 360. The thread of the worm wheel '60 is pitched as shown in Fig. 8 and the roll 340 and the worm wheel 60 are caused to rotate in directions indicated by the arrows in that figure. Inasmuch as the worm wheel is larger than the feed roll 360 the peripheral speed of the worm wheel will be greater than that of the roll 360 and consequently the worm wheel will feed the fabric inwardly toward the base of the insole rib, as the insole is being fed in a direction lengthwise of the rib 28, to facilitate the action of the flange 342 in forming in the fabric. It will be noted that the roll 340 cooperates with the worm wheel 60 in this feeding of the fabric inasmuch as the fabric is held by the smooth periphery of the roll 340 in position to be engaged and fed by the thread of the worm wheel.

In order that the insole, after the canvas has been applied to it, shall offer a minimum amount of resistance to the flexur of the foot in walking, it is desirable that the insole shall be maintained in its hereinbefore described longitudinally bent or curved condition during the performance of the fabric forming-in operation. However, with th insole curved in this manner, the fabric, which conforms to the lengthwis curvature of the insole, is under a substantial amount of tension lengthwise of the sole where it overlies the top edge of the rib and considerable resistance is offered to the act of forming in the canvas from the bridging condition illustrated in Fig. 5 to a condition such as that shown in the lower portion of the insole in Fig. 8. It is for the purpose of counteracting this resistance and thus facilitating the satisfactory performance of the forming-in operation that the worm wheel 50 is employed. It will be seen from an inspection of Fig. 8 that the portion of the reinforcing fabric which extends outwardly beyond the insole rib is supported by the worm wheel 60 substantially in the plane of the inner side of the rib of the insole so that the fabric will no longer be tensioned over the edge of the rib in the locality where the forming-in operation is to take place and there will be no binding or cramping of the fabric over the edge of the rib in this 10- cality to resist the forming-in operation. The action of the worm wheel in thus positioning the marginal portion of the fabric, and its action must be moved before-it can be worked into the angle at the base of the rib 'very effectively insures that the fabric will be many seated in the apex of the angle between the insole body and the inner side of the rib. This feeding action of the worm wheel renders unnecessary the erformance of a preliminary hand forming -in operation "upon the fabric covered insole such as that which has commonly been practiced heretofore.

The machine fitted for forming in the reinforcing fabric, as illustrated in Figs. '6'to 8, is equipped also with a rotary knife 62 which operates to trim the fabric flush with the top edge of the rib immediately after the fabric has been formed in, the trimming knife being constructed and arranged as described in the Letters Patent hereinbefore referred to and operating as more fully described in said patent to effect the trimming of the fabric. The illustrated machine is provided also with a post '64 which engages the unribbed side of the insole in such a position with relation to a plow-like abutment 56 arranged to engage the lipped side of the 5019 as to guide the insole so as to maintain it in its longitudinally curved condition while the fabric is being formed in against the rib. An edge gage 68 is also provided in the illustrated machine for assisting in positioning the insole at the start of the forming-in operation.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. That improvement in the manufacture of reinforced insoles which consists in forming in to the angle between the inner side of the rib of a marginally ribbed insole and the adjacent body portion of the insole a reinforcing layer secured to the insole inwardly of said rib and bridging said angle and extending outwardly beyond said rib, and feeding the outwardly extending portion of said layer toward said rib to facilitate said forming-in operation.

2. That improvement in the manufacture of reinforced insoles which consists in supporting and feeding a marginally ribbe insole having secured to its ribbed side a reinforcing piece bridging the angle between the rib and the insole at the inner side of the rib and extending outwardly beyond the rib, forming said piece into the apex of said angle as the insole is being fed, and feeding the outwardly extending portion of the reinforcing piece toward the rib during said forming-in operation.

3. That improvement in the manufacture of reinforced insoles which consists in providing a marginally ribbed insole having secured to its ribbed side a reinforcing piece bridging the angle between the rib and the insole at the inner side of the rib and extending outwardly beyond the rib, supporting said insole and feeding it to advance successive portions of its margin progressively past an operating locality, forming said piece into the apex of said angle progressively as the insole is being fed, and facilitating said forming-in operation by feeding the outwardly extending portion of said reinforcing piece inwardly toward said rib while the insole is being fed.

4. That improvement in the manufacture of reinforced insoles which consists in providing a marginally ribbed insole having secured to its ribbed side a reinforcing piece bridging the angle between the rib and the insole at the inner side of the rib and. extending outwardly beyond the Iced-mg the fabric in thedirection in which it rib, feeding the insole to advance successive portions of its margin progressively past an operating locality, forming said piece into the apex of said angle progressively as the insole is being fed, feeding the outwardly extending portion of said piece inwardly toward said rib at said operating locality while the insole 'isbeing fed, and supporting said portion substantially in the plane of the inner side of said rib while it is being fed toward the rib.

5. That improvement in the manufacture of insoles which consists in providing an insole having a marginal rib and having a coating of cement upon its ribbed side, positioning a layer of reinforcing material in opposed relation to the coated side of the insole with the marginal portion of said layer bridging the angle between the rib and the insole at the inner side of the rib and extending outwardly beyond the rib, pressing said layer aga nst the insole in the longitudinal median area of the insole thereby adhesively securing said layer to the insole in said area, operating progressively lengthwise of said rib to form said reinforcing material into said angle between the insole body and the rib, and facilitating said forming-in operation by feeding the marginal portion of said reinforcing material inwardly toward the base of said rib while said formingin operation is progressing.

6. That improvement in the manufacture of insoles which consists in providing an insole having a marginal rib consisting of the upturned lips of inner and outer channels formed in the insole margin and having a coating of cement upon that portion only of its ribbed side which is located inwardly of said inner channel, subsequently applying cement to the insole surface exposed by the raising of said inner lip without, however, applying cement to said rib, positioning a layer of reinforcing material in opposed relation to the ribbed side of the insole with marginal portions of said layer bridging the angle between the rib and the insole "at the inner side of the rib and extending outwardly beyond the rib, pressing said layer against the insole along the longitudinal median area of the insole thereby adhesively securing said layer to the insole body in that area, forming said reinforcing material into said angle between the insole body and the rib thereby adhesively securing said material to the insole at the base of the rib while leaving it unsecured to the inner. side of the rib, and trimming the marginal portions of said material flush with the upper edge of said rib.

7. In a machine for operating upon an insole having a marginal rib at one side and a reinforcing layer bridging the angle between the rib and the insole at the inner side of the rib and extending outwardly beyond the rib, means for forming said layer into said angle, and means for feeding the outwardly extending portion of said layer toward said rib to facilitate said forming operation.

8. In a machine for operating upon insoles, means for supporting and feeding a marginally ribbed insole having secured to its ribbed side a reinforcing piece bridging the angle between the rib and the insole at the inner side of the rib and extending outwardly beyond the rib, means for forming said piece into the apex of said angle as the insole is being fed, and means for feeding the outwardly extending portion of said reinforcing piece inwardly in a direction transverse to the lingth of said rib to facilitate said forming opera ion.

9. In a machine for operating upon insoles, means for supporting and feeding a marginally ribbed insole having secured to its ribbed side a reinforcing piece bridging the angle between the rib and the insole at the inner side of the rib and extending outwardly beyond the rib, means for forming said piece into the apex of said angle as the insole is being fed, means for feeding the outwardly extending portion of said reinforcing piece inwardly in a direction transverse to the length of said rib to facilitate said forming operation, and means for trimming said reinforcing piece flush with the edge of said rib.

10. In a machine for operating upon insoles, means acting upon a marginally ribbed insole having secured to its ribbed side a reinforcing piece bridging the angle between the rib and the insole at the inner side of the rib and extending outwardly beyond the rib to feed said insole to advance its margin lengthwise past an operating locality, means operating in said locality for forming said piece into the apex of said angle as the insole is being fed, and means operating in said locality to feed the outwardly extending portion of said reinforcing piece toward said rib to facilitate said forming operation. 7

11. In a machine for operating upon insoles, means acting upon a marginally ribbed insole having secured to its ribbed side a reinforcing piece bridging the angle between the rib and the insole at the inner side of the rib and extending outwardly beyond the rib to feed said insole to advance its margin lengthwise past an operating locality, and means acting progressively lengthwise of said rib as the insole is being fed for supporting the outwardly extending portion of said reinforcing piece substantially in the plane of the inner side of said rib near the portion being operated upon by said forming means and for feeding said portion of the reinforcing piece inwardly toward the base of said rib during said forming operation.

12. In a machine for forming reinforcing fabric into the angle between the inner side of the rib and the adjacent body portion of a marginally ribbed insole to which the fabric has been partially applied so as to bridge said angle and extend outwardly beyond said rib, means for supporting the insole and feeding it to advance its margin in a lengthwise direction, said means including a tool for efiecting said forming operation progressively as the insole isbeing fed, and means cooperating with said tool to facilitate the forming operation by feeding inwardly toward said rib the outwardly extending portion of said fabric.

13. In a machine for forming reinforcing fabric into the angle between the inner side of the rib and the adjacent body portion of a. marginally ribbed insole to which the fabric has been partially applied so as to bridge said angle and extend outwardly beyond said rib, means for supporting the insole and feeding it to advance its margin in a lengthwise direction, said means including a roll constructed and arranged to effect said forming operation progressively as the insole is being fed, and a worm wheel cooperating with said roll to feed the outwardly extending portion of said fabric toward said rib in the locality near where the fabric is being formed in to said angle.

14. In a machine for forming reinforcing fabric into the angle between the inner side of the rib and the adjacent body portion of a marginally ribbed insole to which the fabric has been partially applied so as to bridge said angle and extend outwardly beyond said rib, means for supporting the insole and feeding it to advance its margin progressively past an operating locality, said means including a tool for effecting said forming operation progressively as the insole is being fed, and means for supporting the outwardly extending portion of said fabric substantially in the plane of the inner side of said rib at said operating locality, said means cooperating with said tool to feed inwardly toward said rib the portion of the reinforcing fabric thus supported.

CORWIN W. BAKER. 

